Combination tool



Feb. 12, 1946. A. J. CQTHERN 2,394,845

COMBINATION TOOL Filed Sept. 15, 1943 Inventor Patented Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION TOOL Alfred J. Cothern, Tucumcari, N. Mex.

Application September 15, 1943, Serial No. 502,534

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in combination tools, the principal object in view being to provide a combination tool unit adapted for a wide variety of uses, particularly in garages, service stations and the like, for instance, removing hub caps, tightening and loosening wheel bolts, removing tires from rims, and tubes from tires.

Another object is to provide a combination tool unit for the purposes above set forth and which is compact in form so as to be easily carried, strong and durable, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification.

In said drawing- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved combination tool in its preferred embodiment,

Figure 2 is a view in plan,

Figure 3 is a view in end elevationof one of the wrench sockets,

Figure 4 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and drawn to an enlarged scale, and

Figure 5 is a similar View taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, as shown therein my improved combination tool comprises as the basic elements thereof a plurality, preferably 4, of elongated bar-like members I, 2, 3, 4, pivotally connected together in stacked relation in the respective transverse centers thereof by a bolt 5 and wing nut 6 so that said members are swingable relatively about a common center into diiferent angular positions with respect to one another. The members I, 2, 3, 4, at one end of the unit are designed for a use as tire removing tools, and for that purpose the two outermost members I, 4 are provided with differently designed and longitudinally curved beaks I, 8, and the two intermediate members, 3, are provided with straight tapered beaks 9, I0. At the other ends thereof, said members I, 2, 3, 4, comprise internally serrated wrench sockets II. A lug I2 on each member I, 2, 3, 4 fitting in a slot I3 in the adjacent member provides for looking the members together in crossed fanwise arrangement against relative rotation when the wing nut 6 is tightened. In this position of said members I, 2, 3, 4 the sockets II at one end of the unit engage in side by side relation and the beaks I, 8, 9, III are slightly separated to facilitate selection of a. member best adapted for use in connection with the operation contemplated. The sockets II, it may be explained, are of different sizes and in the described folded position of the members I, 2, 3, 4 may be conveniently selected by comparison as regards size.

The member I is provided between the beak I and the bolt 5 with a pair of rollers I4 spaced apart longitudinally of the member upon the outer face thereof. One roller I4 is mounted on the member I by means of a headed screw stud I5 so that the position of said roller is fixed. The other roller I 4 is mounted on the member I for adjustment from the first mentioned one into different set positions and by means of the following:

The member I is longitudinally slotted, as at Hi, the slot being of stepped form as shown in Figure 5. A headed stud I'I extends through the slot I6 with a nut I8 thereon in the wide portion of said slot [6. The stud I'I carries a bushing I9 seating on the member I and extending through the roller. The stud I! has a kerf therein so that said stud .may be turned by means of a screw driver. By loosening the stud II, the same, together with the bushing I9 and roller I4 thereon, may be adjusted along the slot I6 as desired and set in position by tightening said stud.

The manner in which the described combination tool is designed to be used will be readily understood. By loosening the wing nuts 6 a selected member may be swung into suitable angular, crossed relation to the remaining members for convenient use of either the socket II thereon or the beak of the member. Of course the socket may be used for tightening or loosening nuts or bolts and the beaks for prying work, for instance in removing tire casings from rims. The member I is especially equipped, by virtue of the rollers I4, for use in spreading the bead portions of tire casings apart, for instance in removing a tire tube, and the adjustable roller I4 may be easily adjusted relative to the other one to suit the requirements in such operations. Obviously the members I, 2, 3, 4 may be used selectively in their assembled relation, or, any desired member may be separated from the unit if desired. Preferably the spools I 4 are provided with outer flanged ends 20 for fitting under the beads of tire casings when the latter are being spread and whereby slipping of the rollers out of place is prevented.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to imrelative swinging movement to position said members selectively one in substantially right angled relation to the others, and coacting interlocking devices on said members for securing said other members together in fan-wise crossed arrangement to form a cross handle for the selected one member flaring from said pivot upon opposite sides of the latter and thereby tending to prevent the hands from slipping off the handle thus 10 ,formed.

ALFRED J. COTHERN. 

